Out There In The Atlantic

Old Head doesn’t look like any golf course I know. There are no trees — just brilliant green fairways and rough stretched across a dramatic peninsula reaching into the Atlantic. You see the ocean. You hear it. You feel it in the wind. When weather begins marching toward you across all that open water, there isn’t a tree in sight to hide behind.

The Great Rain-Gear Scramble

At the first hint of rain, our group began frantically pulling out waterproof pants and jackets. Our caddies were laughing. They knew those first drops were nothing. When the real Old Head weather arrived, wind and rain came sideways. And when your caddie calmly hands you a 5-iron for a shot of roughly 130 yards, take it. The Atlantic has temporarily rewritten the laws of golf.

Sheep, Cliffs & The Rescue Crew

Then there are the sheep. They wander the rugged landscape and sometimes venture onto steep cliff ledges in search of grass. What I remember most: Old Head had sheep rescuers on staff. When a sheep became stranded, the crew could head out with ropes and rescue equipment. Where else does your golf story include Atlantic winds, rain gear, towering cliffs — and a sheep rescue crew?

The Hole That Gets Your Attention

There are intimidating golf holes, and then there are Old Head golf holes. The cliff-edge stretches demand that you commit to the shot even while your eyes are telling you to look anywhere but down. Pick your target. Trust your caddie. Swing. Whatever happens next becomes part of your Old Head story.

Take The Lower Room

Here’s something I learned by staying at Old Head: higher isn’t always better. For me, the room to have is on the lower walk-out level. I could walk directly outside onto the grass and there it was — the infamous Old Head lighthouse facing me. I’ve stayed in beautiful rooms around the world. I’ve never had a view quite like that one. If I return, that’s the room I want.

And Then… Ice Cream

After battling the wind and weather, there is something deeply satisfying about getting back inside behind the heavy glass while the Atlantic continues doing what the Atlantic does. And then came the ice cream. There we were — a group of women who had spent the day layering rain clothes, trusting caddies with improbable club selections, negotiating cliffside holes and watching sheep — now safely inside, eating ice cream and laughing.